News & Trending Travel News

16 Cities With the Most Restaurants for People Who Love Dining Out

Just like America, restaurants in cities across the country reflect our diverse population.

friends sitting in retaurant
Updated Sept. 24, 2024
Fact checked

We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own. Compensation may impact where offers appear. We have not included all available products or offers. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies.

For new college grads or older workers thinking about retirement, trying to decide where to live means considering all aspects of lifestyle. There’s the cost of living and housing, of course. But you also want to relocate to a city with amenities to enhance your life. And for many, that means food choices.

FinanceBuzz recently conducted a study to identify the most laid-back cities in America. One of the criteria was restaurants, from sushi to comfort food to coffee shops. The data team looked at the number of restaurants per 100,000 people to determine which cities offer the most dining options.

Some cities provide more ways to save money eating out, while some give you more diverse dining options to choose from.

As a result of this research, we’ve got the top 16 cities for you to tantalize your taste buds in.

Earn $200 cash rewards bonus with this incredible card

There's a credit card that's making waves with its amazing bonus and benefits. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card(Rates and fees) has no annual fee and you can earn $200 after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

The Active Cash Card puts cash back into your wallet. Cardholders can earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases — easy! That's one of the best cash rewards options available.

This card also offers an intro APR of 0% for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (then 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable). Which is great for someone who wants a break from high interest rates, while still earning rewards.

The best part? There's no annual fee.

Click here to apply now.

Chicago: 210.2

SeanPavonePhoto/Adobe sightseeing cruise besides chicago Illinois skyline

Chicago is known for deep dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs, like the ones at Portillo’s, and Italian beef sandwiches. You will find pockets of incredible Greek food in the West Loop, Chinese and Irish cuisine on the South Side, and many more incredible options scattered around Chicagoland.

Denver: 210.3 (tie)

Jacob/Adobe Larimer Square with tourists in street

Denver comes fully stocked with local breweries, burger joints, and really great Thai food. The city is known for its omelets and for arepas and green chili, a spicy condiment that Denver does best. Locals love the variety of Mexican restaurants, citing burritos as a specialty in the city.

Austin, TX: 210.3 (tie)

Ryan Conine/Adobe Austin Texas skyline at sunset

Austin is celebrated for its award-winning queso dips, chicken-fried steak restaurants, and Texas-style barbecue. You can find many different dining options as you approach Red River and Rainey Streets, since convention center visitors don’t stray far from the downtown area.

Stop overpaying when you shop online

Shopping online has its perks. It's super convenient, but it can be time consuming to find the best deals. Instead of hunting for coupon codes (that don't always work!) and opening tons of browser tabs comparing prices, you can try Capital One Shopping.

Capital One Shopping makes saving money effortless. Just add the browser extension and when you check out, it'll scour the internet for coupon codes to help you save cash. And before you check out at 25+ major retailers, Capital One Shopping will notify you with a friendly pop-up if the item you're buying is available cheaper somewhere else.

Capital One Shopping is free to use and won't show you ads. Add it today and stop overpaying!1

Get Capital One Shopping now

Hartford, CT: 211.8

f11photo/Adobe downtown hartford city

With a population of just over 121,000, Hartford is known for some unique dishes for foodies. You can chow down on hot lobster rolls, hand-churned ice cream, steamed cheeseburgers, and hot dogs.

Virginia Beach/Norfolk, VA: 211.9

SeanPavonePhoto/Adobe norfolk virginia usa downtown

The famous and numerous beaches of the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area provide fresh seafood options, including high-quality oysters and soft shell crabs. They are proud of their berry farms, and it feels like every corner has a hip brunch spot to check out.

Greater Los Angeles: 214.2

SeanPavonePhoto/Adobe downtown los angeles

When you think of Los Angeles, incredible Mexican food and delicious sushi probably come to mind. But this city is fully immersed in every type of cuisine from every corner of the earth.

Check out LA when you need a new food truck to rave about, decadent french dip or cheeseburger to enjoy, or a sweet treat from almost 1,500 independent donut shops.

Boston, MA: 219.3

SeanPavonePhoto/Adobe Downtown Skyline Boston Massachusetts

Boston Cream Pie, Boston baked beans, and clam chowder aren’t the only foods Boston is known for. As the home of Dunkin’, this city is known to be one of the most caffeinated in the country, with cafes and bakeries seeing a bump in business in recent years.

New York metropolitan area: 219.5

TTstudio/Adobe New York City skyline during day

With a population of 3.8 million in New York City, 219.5 restaurants per 100,000 people means you have a lot of places to eat.

There are over 2,000 pizzerias in New York City alone, and that’s not counting restaurants that serve pizza on the side. The city is known for its takeout slice, which you eat folded in half while walking.

Jewish delis serve up pastrami sandwiches, matzo ball soup, and bagels. There are more than 300 restaurants in Chinatown in Lower Manhattan. And due to its diverse population, you can find just about any type of cuisine in the five boroughs.

If you cross the Hudson River to Newark, New Jersey, head to the Ironbound for outstanding Spanish, Portuguese, and Brazilian restaurants.

San Diego, CA: 220.5

steheap/Adobe San Diego skyline

San Diego is a multicultural mecca, known for CaliBaja-style food. Visit Old Town to eat authentic Mexican cuisine in one of the most haunted areas of the state. Grab seafood and incredible ocean views by the marina. Don’t forget to order a California burrito on the boardwalk in Mission Beach.

Earn money online by taking surveys

$55,000 might sound crazy … but with a company called Survey Junkie, it’s possible to get your share of it every day by taking their surveys in your extra time.

Follow these simple steps to start earning:

  1. Sign up for an account with Survey Junkie here.
  2. Take surveys.
  3. Repeat daily and get paid for sharing your opinion!

P.S.: You can cash out with as little as $5 through PayPal or bank transfer, or transfer to gift cards from a number of stores.

Get your share of $55,000 daily by signing up here

Miami/Dade, FL: 221.5

littleny/Adobe Miami Florida skyline and bay

With a massive population of Latinos, the Miami/Dade area of South Florida benefits heavily from Latin American cuisine. Cuban sandwiches and fritters are available city-wide, with ceviche, stone crabs, and alligator bites ruling appetizer menus.

Orlando, FL: 223.8

lunamarina/Adobe Orlando skyline fom lake Eola Florida

As a world-wide tourist destination due to theme parks like Walt Disney World, Orlando has many restaurants to serve the tourists, who far outnumber its 325,000 residents. But the residents benefit from a range of restaurants, from American diners to high-end Indian cuisine to Latin and Asian fusion.

Providence, RI: 226.0

SeanPavonePhoto/Adobe providence rhode island

Rhode Island has their own take on clam chowder that is particularly noteworthy. Foodies will find Rhode Island-style calamari and clam cakes for seafood of note. For dessert, baklava is a favorite in the city. Be sure to try a coffee milk, an interesting caffeinated shake beverage that is the official drink of Rhode Island.

New Orleans, LA: 240.0

Calee Allen/Adobe french quarter carriage

With a population of about 370,000, New Orleans hosts over 19 million tourists each year. People flock to the Cajun and Creole capital of America.

Taste the city’s French roots in the French Quarter with a coffee and beignets at the storied Café Du Monde. All around the city you can find a perfect gumbo or shrimp po’ boy. Bourbon Street restaurants will serve you hurricane beverages any time of day.

Portland, OR: 240.2

f11photo/Adobe Downtown Portland Oregon at sunset

Portland, Oregon, is one of the popular foodie destinations in America. Its location in the Willamette Valley means chefs have access to fresh seafood and a variety of fruit and vegetables. Portland is known as the home of farm-to-table restaurants, and the diversity of cuisine rivals much bigger cities.

San Francisco/Bay Area: 258.2

heyengel/Adobe golden gate bridge at sunset

If you want the peak tourist sourdough experience, enjoy a Boudin Bakery & Cafe sourdough bread bowl with soup while overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Fisherman’s Wharf catches incredible Dungeness crab, and Mission burritos became popular in the city in the 1960s. Top off any meal with a visit to the Ghirardhelli chocolate store.

Honolulu, HI: 261.4

tomas del amo/Adobe waikiki beach

Honolulu offers 261.4 restaurants per 100,000 people, topping our list of best cities for diners. Its 350,000 population is dwarfed by the 9.6 million tourists who visit each year.

Honolulu offers tourists some incredible cuisine. Poke, Spam musubi, and Kalua pig are popular dishes. For a sweet treat, you must try shave ice or Dole Whip, which originated here. Honolulu’s Kona coffee is considered by some to be the most delicious in the world.

Bottom line

bignai/Adobe dinner and wine

If you are a true foodie, consider one of these cities as your next travel destination or a place to retire in. Eating out can be a luxury and a cultural experience.

Of course, you can always try making these regional dishes at home using ways to save on grocery bills. And then you can travel anywhere right in your own kitchen.

Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards

5.0
info

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Current Offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks
Card Details